The most destructive rainstorm to hit the southwestern province
of Sichuan
and neighboring Chongqing
Municipality so far this year has deluged the area since Thursday,
leaving 76 people dead and at least 79 missing by early Monday.
Most of the fatalities resulted from mudslides.
Twenty-one of the dead and 27 of the missing were in Chongqing,
which has so far received 33 centimeters of rain, the highest
figure in 200 years. Nearby Yunyang County has been hit by 23
mudslides since September 4, burying 350 homes and leaving seven
dead and seven missing.
Flooding, mountain torrents and landslides have cut off
transportation to many areas and left hundreds of people trapped in
and around the cities of Dazhou, Nanchong and Bazhong in
Sichuan.
Officials with the provincial flood control office reported that
downtown Dazhou -- the area that has suffered the most serious
damage so far -- has been isolated by flooding, which caused
cave-ins on urban roads and destroyed highways leading into the
city.
The roads of Nanwai Town, an administrative section of Dazhou,
are submerged under a meter of water, leaving virtually every home
flooded.
Local governments have sent regular and armed police officers to
evacuate trapped residents. Relief goods have also been sent to the
flood-affected areas.
The provincial government has dispatched three work teams to
monitor rescue operations and has asked the air force and navy for
help.
Most of the people affected by the disaster are scattered
throughout the foothills and mountainous areas, where
transportation conditions are already poor, complicating rescue and
relief operations.
Zhao Guangzhong, director of the provincial meteorological
station, said that except for a short break Sunday night, the heavy
rain is expected to continue through Tuesday.
(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2004)
